Stephen Curry has become a household name and with that visibility, everything about him goes under the microscope, but there’s a topic that isn’t touched on very often and that’s Curry’s ethnic background.

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We recognize Steph’s amazing shooting skills, his tight handles and underrated playmaking, we know Curry’s daughter and father, and all about his team’s historic start to the 2015-16 season, but what isn’t clear to the majority of the United States is whether Curry (and his brother Seth and sister Sydel) is mixed race and if so, does it include Caucasian?

In the large scheme of things, whether Curry is white, black, or mixed with another race doesn’t matter on the court, but off the court, I know that it’s a question that many wonder when they see Steph’s (and his brother Seth’s) lighter skin color and hazel eyes. This curiosity about his race is all but confirmed two years later with the large amount of traffic this post gets on any given day.

When you type in “Stephen Curry is” or “Is Stephen Curry” into Google you’ll see that some of Google suggestions are people searching aout Curry’s race, ethnicity and background:

If you play around with the suggestions like I did, you’ll see a lot questions around Steph Curry’s background:

stephen curry ethnicity

is stephen curry black

stephen curry race

where is stephen curry from

is stephen curry half white

what nationality is stephen curry

stephen curry white

stephen curry mother ethnicity

Knowing that many were curious about Steph’s racial composition, as they are also about his backcourt mate Klay Thompson, Blake Griffin, Devin Booker, and recent #1 draft pick Ben Simmons, I wanted to dig deeper into Steph’s background. In part it’s to give a maybe complicated answer to the straightforward question (as there doesn’t seem to be a lot of information out there) but also in part to educate others about the complexities and layers that go into race/ethnicity. And I was sure I’d learn a thing or two along the way, too.

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Steph Curry’s parents and grandparents

The first place to go is the parents. If you follow the NBA or Golden State Warriors closely, you probably know that his father is Dell Curry, a former NBA player of African-American descent (and currently on the broadcasting team for the Charlotte Hornets). Dell played 15 years in the NBA with the Hornets, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors.

To further add some information on Curry’s racial background, Kevin Durant also mistook Curry’s African-American-ess. During a 2014 event to promote the NBA2K video game, Durant was on a panel with Curry, Anthony Davis, and James Harden. The 6-11 OKC star talked about first meeting Curry when they were 10 years old and he tells how Durant saw Curry, racially, the first time he saw him:

“I told Steph this… I was about 10 years old, and our AAU team drove down to Charlotte to play. And there was this… one, like, I thought (Curry) was white but he was this yellow kid, right? I’m just being real now, right? Where I come from, in the hood, we don’t see that. We don’t see the light-skinned guys around. It was all guys like me.”

Curry (and Harden) couldn’t help but laugh at Durant’s recollection. It’s a fun video and there seems to be of an inside joke/understanding, but doesn’t overtly answer the question about Steph Curry’s racial identity.

What about Steph’s sister and brother?

Despite thousands of articles and posts about Curry, there just wasn’t much information worth mentioning on Steph’s ethnicity. So I started to look for any information from his siblings that might give us a clue.

A quick search turned up this tweet from Curry’s sister Sydel in response to an insensitive comment about Steph’s jumpshot coming from the white part of his family:

In her reply, Curry’s sister Sydel indicates that she and her brothers aren’t “half white” as many have mistaken them for. This gives us more understanding as to how Sydel views their racial identity.

There’s more in that same thread. Scrolling through the first few replies, it becomes even more definitive, at least to Sydel:

Sydel’s response to a Twitter user asking her “What are you guys mixed with? do you mind me asking that?” was simply: “nothing. Lol we are just light” meaning that Sydel, Steph and Seth consider themselves African-Americans, just light-skinned African-Americans.

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What we’re really asking is…

If we’re to assume that Sydel speaks for the Curry perspective, then there you have it.

Though the question that brought you to this post is whether Steph Curry is of mixed race, there’s no question that Stephen Curry is at least part African American. The real underlying question that’s being asked here is “Is Steph Curry half white?”

Race is a complicated subject, but what’s clear here is that Steph Curry isn’t half white as most assume by looking at him. Steph Curry is of mixed-race, though that mix is of African-American lineages and therefore considered African-American when this question is asked.

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82 Comments

Ok ..I wasn’t going to comment but …sigh ..a bigger question is ..why the hell does it matter?? Do people go around asking this question of Blake Griffin? Or ..as a black man in Oakland Cali ..I never really cared. I, instead, focused on his remarkable basketball ability.

Could it be that the question doesn’t come up because nobody really gives a damn? Just saying!

I rather see information about the evolution of his game than what color he is. It is seen as an insensitive type of dialogue that does not need to continue in America. When people can be judged on the character and foolish others can become color blind then we have made progress.

“I’m not saying it matters to all, but it is something that people are curious about …” No …SOME people …not all ..and I’d wager fewer than YOU think. The fact that he can excel at his chosen profession, while entertaining and impressing the masses SHOULD be enough. Trust me …I’m a long time warrior fan who interacts with a ton of the same … We watch curry and appreciate his skillz ..I cannot remember one time he pulled up from 30 ft, and we all said ..” Hmmm …wonder what color Steph is?” Maybe basketball is a place were color truly doesn’t matter? One can hope ..right?

It’s interesting to note the vitriol directed at the author for what is, as he/she states in the comments section, an honest inquiry. Whether one deems something to “matter” in their subjective matrix of meaning and valuation is a poor barometer by which to decide whether inquiry into any subject should be undertaken. After all, Steph Curry is not just a basketball player, he is a person, with numerous social identities, including an ethnic identity.
The article will hold interest for those who have an interest in racial and ethnic classification and will not for those who do not. Many non-racist, modern people have just such an interest and need not be brow-beaten by the post-racial folks, whether they’re black guys from Oakland or Carlos from wherever the hell Carlos is from.
An interesting layer of this issue that this article does not peel back, of course, is that beyond the Curry family’s self-classification as African-American/Black (which they are completely entitled to), the family is clearly Creole on the mother’s side. Creoles, generally speaking, especially in the Caribbean, where the vast majority of today’s African Americans have ancestry (after Africa, before the U.S.), were mixed race blacks with higher class status whether enslaved or free than darker-skinned blacks.

Well I for one am interested and thus why I came to this article. I’m Asian and I often have people asking me if I’m Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese, and I’m not any of them. DO I get offended?! NO! Is it a legit question, sure! I ask whites what ethnic background they are – Irish, Swedish, French, etc., and they don’t get offended or bent out of shape at the question at all – in fact, they are happy and even eager to tell me! So, not sure why this is so offensive to some people. It looks like The Curry’s do have Caucasian blood in their heritage – whether it’s French and Irish, it’s just interesting for some. No one, I believe, is trying to be vindictive or mean by having this curiosity of a black man who has light skin and eyes. Genetics tells us that he does have caucasion heritage in him or he wouldn’t have the light skin and eyes.

Anonymous – ” I’m Asian and I often have people asking me if I’m Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese, and I’m not any of them. DO I get offended?” That is wonderful for you, I’m glad you are so giving of yourself – although I can’t help but wonder would you feel the same if YOUR history in America included tidbits like being 100% Black meant you were not a human being …and the percentage of “Human blood” aka WHITE blood in you denoted just how highly you were regarded in SLAVE caste systems – Ahhh but that’s the rub isn’t? You can ask and reveal this sort of information without the historical evil overtones that we black people experience. Yes I try not to focus on race – because if I do? MY RACE has suffered injustices that we will never recover from. But …continue to ask if you must …just know that BLACK people are suspicious if you do…for obvious (at least to us) reasons.

As the author of this post, I learned a lot about Creole history and the importance of self-identification.

Also as a racial minority, I’m all about understanding race and asking questions when I don’t understand. Ignoring questions and curiosity about race is akin to saying “I don’t see color” — that isn’t building understanding and moving us forward.

Would you rather have the populace misrepresent Curry as half-white (as most do) or actually know and understand the word “Creole”? That’s a rhetorical question — ignorance isn’t the answer.

And BTW, the actual rub is that Japanese, Chinese and other Asians have a history of racism in America too. Maybe you’ve heard of internment camps during WWII, yellow peril, the Chinese-exclusion act, and other laws targeting Asians in U.S. history. My guess, from the tone and arrogance of your post, is that injustices against Asian people aren’t equal so we lack the empathy/sympathy. How ironic.

“the actual rub is that Japanese, Chinese and other Asians have a history of racism in America too. Maybe you’ve heard of internment camps during WWII,…” Nice try, bait was almost good ..nobody denies the terrible injustices done to all people of color. Equal? depends ..if you ancestors came here by CHOICE? My empathy MAY be a lil skewed – if yours came by enslaving an entire group against their will, told they were less than human, families separated at the whim of another, women raped, men lynched, an entire civilization forbidden to even woship their gods, speak their language or even eat their traditional foods …in fact, any vestige of their ancestral lives wiped from existence? then yeah ..I feel your pain too. But …again ..you have the right to query ..just as I have the right to look at you sideways when you do. Peace.

I may ask you your background/race, and you can look at me sideways, but I come from a place of understanding and wanting to learn more. Because I ask, doesn’t mean I’m completely ignorant or don’t have a understanding of history. I have features that other Asians sometimes question whether I’m biracial, so I get questions. I’m rarely offended until those questions take a turn into something unsavory. I’m okay with curiosity and understanding because I believe that’s how we further the discussion on race and to get others to understand/empathize with the minority experience — wherever the origin.

“Because I ask, doesn’t mean I’m completely ignorant or don’t have a understanding of history.” Well, I applaude you on your acumen regarding Afro-centric historical perspective. And I am glad that questions about your ethnic background are usually so benign. As a black man of 50+ years, I think I am uniquely qualified to tell you that, historically, questions beginning with “So, what race are you …” RARELY end in a positive experience ..outside of academia. At any rate, we have beat this to death. If your inquiry into Stephen Curry’s racial origins somehow help you appreciate his magnificent 3 point shooting touch? Have at it ..I guess. Best to you.

Creole
[kree-ohl]
Spell Syllables
Examples Word Origin
noun
1.
a person born in the West Indies or Spanish America but of European, usually Spanish, ancestry.
2.
a person born in Louisiana but of usually French ancestry.
3.
(sometimes lowercase) a person of mixed black and European, especially French or Spanish, ancestry who speaks a creolized form of French or Spanish.
4.
(usually lowercase) a creolized language; a pidgin that has become the native language of a speech community.
Compare pidgin.
5.
the creolized French language of the descendants of the original settlers of Louisiana.
Compare Cajun.
6.
Haitian Creole.
7.
(usually lowercase) Archaic. a black person born in the New World, as distinguished from one brought there from Africa.

Some of you people are so ignorant, if the family say there African American then that’s what they are , stop trying to put him in a different category , if you know anything about African Americans then you know about 65% of them are mixed with some kind of white or Indian. Whether there light skin or dark skin is irrelevant , there the same people-which is African American..blacks come in different looks whether it’s hair texture or eyes or complexions just like whites have different looks…

Hey MikeO, I’ve never seen this — thanks for posting. It’s worth noting that there’s a slight chance he was kidding, but knowing Curry and context it’s likely he wasn’t. Also interesting is self-identification and how Steph and Sydel differ in their opinions — at least publicly.

I find it rather funny that Sydel claims that they are not mixed with anything. Their Mom is mixed so that means they are also mixed, plus if you were to take a DNA sample you would clearly see more than 1 ethnicity. I look more Korean than I do white, but that doesn’t mean that I’m not mixed!

Ok ..this is getting ridiculous!!! Jason..if we wanna get techial? Every non Africa black person in America is “mixed”, an evil reminder of how “Massa” crept around n his white queen to defile our sistahs and mothers …you think we want to be reminded of THAT? Hell no!!

The people asking if he’s Mexican, half Phillipino and Half white are trying to “CLAIM” him as being one of their own. It’s as simple as that. this is why the question is being asked. To even suggest that Sydel, his extremely close sister doesn’t speak for him when stating the race that THEY are is laughable. He’s black, end of story. Does he have some white DNA very likely but it’s irrelevant to his racial identity. The majority of his DNA is African. If having some white DNA makes someone mixed then then plenty of black Americans are mixed.

I like the way you said, “there’s no question that Stephen Curry is at least part African American” as if this is being disputed or as if it’s not the majority that makes up his DNA, lol.

Lets make this easy. So he’s half African American which equates to black, Then he’s 1/4 Hatian which is also black, and the remaining 1/4th is creole which is essentially mixed black. So Stephen Curry is less than 1/4 non-black…. He might not even be partially white. Creoles can be any mix. Chinese, Hispanic, Arab.

Some of these posts show a presumption that appearance and “race” are the same. So if he’s light-skinned, he’s this certain percentage European and this percentage African. But this belies the fact that there is a significant difference between genotype (DNA) and phenotype (appearance). Just because someone’s skin, eye, hair color, or hair texture are a certain way, it does not follow that you can assess their genetics based upon appearance alone. The whole concept of race is fraught with these types of errors in logic. (Thanks to the poster of the different definitions of “Creole”.) How someone culturally identifies trumps their genetics. I find it interesting that some just presume that his dad is African American=”black” based upon his appearance, and not that he probably also a significant proportion of European genes as do many African Americans, regardless of appearance. But if Steph says he’s half white, so what? It’s probably a lot easier for him to say that than to answer a bunch of uninformed questions and to try to explain what Creole means in different cultures and places. It surely doesn’t equal mostly African in many places but it certainly means someone of at least two different ethnicities. If people are interested in his background, so what? Open discussions like this are a lot more healthy than shutting people down by accusing them of being racist or of being uninformed of the historical significance of racism. It’s not a “black” and “white” world and really never has been. Those that want to view racism in black and white terms lack an understanding of the importance of the thousands of cultures and identities that comprise the human race. Why it matters to each of us is interesting in and of itself, but it doesn’t’ do any harm to discuss it. Learning from each other is not easy, it’s not simple, and we need to talk about it more to move forward.

I’m Indonesian, I’m Curious too, a lot of Indonesian Curious about the race of Steph Curry. Not to Discriminate one race to another. We’re commonly Curious about where does his amazing skill of basketball came from. Just that. We love stephen Curry no matter what color he is. Thanks for the author.

Really impressive and civilized discussion of an important subject we’re all scared to talk about these days. Forgive me for grabbing a “teachable moment,” I can’t stop myself. We can’t answer the question “Is Steph black” until we first answer the question, “what does ‘black’ mean in the United States?” Slavery and Southern Jim Crow defined “black” as anyone with a drop of black blood. Light skin, hazel eyes or not, in the 1950s American South, Steph would have had to go to a black school and give up his seat on a bus to a white person. So in America– but not in the Caribbean or most other places– Steph was “black.” By 2016, however, instead of asking somebody “what race or ethnicity are you,” it’s more appropriate to ask, “what race or ethnicity do you identify with?” Steph Curry says he’s black and that’s the end of it.

I swear, throw “Creole” in the mix and no one knows what “black” is! I am “Creole,” by blood not by culture. I don’t claim it, because I wasn’t raised in the culture. It is a culture. My grandma was a “dark” creole and my grandfather was a “light” Creole (25% black). They never claimed to be anything other than black, despite my grandfather clearly looking racially suspect. LOL My mom is light, her sisters dark. They come from the same place. I wouldn’t give a second thought, outside of “black” when it comes to the Currys. Creoles claim to be African Americans. When a black person tells you what they are, don’t question it!

What a terrible waste of time article. They didn’t do enough digging to find out where the white folks were on his mom’s side and they still published an incomplete article. His mom is mixed with hatian and white. Both of his mom’s parents are biracial essentially making her biracial. Curry is 25% white. His dad might have a non-black somewhere way up the family tree back in the slave days too. Who knows.

Im a midly dark skinned Mexican, but very tall for the country average (over 6″3) and not so offending to the eyes. So, I was once in northern Europe and some people (mostly girls) asked me if i was Italian and my answer of course, was YES! and then after some talk i told them i am Mexican and that we come in all colors and sizes.

Then, i went to Morroco and Saudi Arabia and mixed perfectly with the locals, so nobody attempted to sell their crap on me, but some asked once they realized i was a foreigner. Then had the chance to go to India and could also somewhat mix the locals although more people could tell me apart, because Indians look very very Indian!.

And then, in the USA, some people had the audacity to ask me why i was so tall if i was mexican. I was not offended at all and told them a little bit about my background, which i would say is 50% native mexican and 50% other stuff, mostly spanish, but i really dont know for sure, and nobody in my family cares enough to check on it.

The point is, it doesnt matter! its just curiosity people! if you see a guy with green eyes and fair skin but his father is african american, like this Curry dude of course you are going to ask him “hey, so whats up in your family?). If people gets offended because of this, they might also get offended when i ask them “why are you so stupid?”

i wonder why it is that most mexicans — no matter how dark the complexion and broad the facial features and curly the hair — are quick to claim their “spanish” ancestry yet will deny to the high heavens their african (black) ancestry? read a little on mexico and you’ll see that there is a very heavy, undeniable african presence.

Black people just don’t want to know so they can claim him and consider him black..

Steph is not African American, he’s multi-racial american.

>>By 2016, however, instead of asking somebody “what race or ethnicity are you,” it’s more appropriate to ask, “what race or ethnicity do you identify with?” Steph Curry says he’s black and that’s the end of it…..

This was an article that opened a discussion. That’s NOT a bad thing. We need to relax when it comes to talking about race. It’s a genetic thing, it’s a reality, and curiosity is as natural as anything. Nothing wrong at all with discussing this.

I wanted to pop in and make a point. In the BET player award video, Steph clearly says he is, “half white.” That was no joke. The guy that introduced him said something about him not being white, “but he does have green eyes.” Stephan says: “I am half-white though, so…”

Is MY family the only one with family secrets? His father Dell Curry was in the NBA. Many of those guys can fall to temptation. It happens all the time. Not saying that’s what happened to produce the green eyed and light skinned Steph, but it’s a possibility. Sonya takes him in as her own and….or any number of things. There *are* family secrets and maybe the tip toeing around this issue has not allowed the story to be told. Steph Curry said he’s half white – doesn’t THAT end the discussion? If he wants to elaborate on it, that’s his choice.

The funny problem is African Americans know he’s half white and hate to give credit to white ballers lol. It’s the truth he looks half white half black. Give credit to both ethnicities. He might be mixed with Spanish, hatians are mixed with dominicans. If anything Africans are ARABS! since when do we describe a person thru a continent lol, only here in AMERICA. BEFORE YOU GO THERE MIDDLE EAST ISN’T A CONTINENT, ARABS ARE FROM AFRICA, AND BEFORE AFRICA WAS CONQUERED BY LOUIS AFRICANUS, IT WAS CALLED AL KABULAN, ARAB TERM MEANING THE LAND OF THE DARK ARABS. ORIGINAL ARABS AREN’T EVEN LIGHT SKIN THEY ARE YELLOW LIKE DURANT SAID LOL, GOLD/BROWN, BUT WE DON’T GO BY COLOR EXCEPT HERE IN AMERICA. JUST SO THAT YOU KNOW YOUR ANCESTORS SPOKE ARABIC, THE FIRST UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE SPOKEN UNDER CIVILIZATION WAS SUMERIAN, TODAY ARABIC. BY THE WAY IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE ARABS FOR ALGEBRA, NUMERAL SYSTEM, THE CALENDAR, TIME, THE SIMPLE WHEEL, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE A CAR AND A BALL GAME, AND YOU WON’T KNOW YOUR AGE. ALL GAMES USE NUMBERS, TIME AND SCORE. LOL GIVE CREDIT TO THEM ARABS, AND STOP STEALING THEIR NATURAL RESOURCES! AND STOP CALLING THEM TERRORISTS CAUSE U WANT THERE OIL.

People ask about Curry’s ethnicity because he looks mixed race. Obama is mixed race and he certainly looks darker than Curry. While it is up to the individual to choose what ethic group he identifies with, it should not offend people if someone is curious and ask about a person’s ethnic background. That dude is upset with people asking questions has a chip on his shoulder and needs to chill out. There are so many interracial people in the world today no one should chastised for wondering. If he wants the Jim crow law to identify his racial identity, that is his choice but he can not expect others adhere to his policy.

If they did a DNA test on Steph they would find out Steph has European blood on both his mother’s and father’s sides. Many Black people in America have European in the blood, probably goes back to slavery days when White masters took sexual advantage of Black women slaves But the family is not claiming it because it’s so far in their background. It’s just coming out because that’s the way genes work, sometimes a trait shows up, sometimes it doesn’t. There are girl twins alive right now, one looks very white and the other African-American. There is White and Black blood in their parents. When races are mixed, the darker race takes precedence, and Black traits more common, but the lighter race will emerge from time to time.

The matter of skin color regarding Steph Curry is more of an issue for white people than black. Historically, whites have shown more favor and acceptability toward lighter skin blacks than darker skin blacks, which has been another decisive tool by whites that have caused a significant amount of separation in the Black Community. For those that disagree, during slavery it was white people that coined the phrase “House Slave and Field Slave”. Remember it was the lighter skin slaves. that were in the Masters house who were treated much better than the darker skin slaves who worked in the plantation/field.

Ancestry is an interesting subject,& for those with no knowledge of history,they might find it interesting to know that Curry is a very Irish name. It is also worth mentioning that Cromwell attempted genocide on the Irish & exported millions of Irish people all over the world, alot to the British West Indies where black slaves were sold & Irish slaves were thought so worthless that they were given away free. Who knows, they could be very distant cousins of mine.

to: VinnyFreemn “MY RACE has suffered injustices that we will never recover from.”
Your race is doing fine..what race is the president of the United States??
Is that how you justify your short comings in life?? Like I said your race is doing fine, its you that cant recover from whatever myth is in your head.
Quit looking at reasons why you cant be a productive member of society, and focus on your blessings.

Did you really pull the “But the President is Black” card out of your anus?? Really? And I have never felt the need to “justify” my shortcomings OR my triumphs …takes nothing away from the immutable fact that black Americans’ African heritage was stripped, their rights were infringed, their history was expunged and their very existence brutally upended …all to fuel a capital/industrial complex ran by Anglo-Saxons ..and YOU think one Black President fixes all that …right? Tsk Tsk …I said I wasn’t going to respond to any of this anymore ..but you, sir? are laughable …thank you.

A friend of mine, who is black, has a daughter who’s mother is white. She identifies as black. She’s encountered numerous problems in the black community (outside of her family) because she has blonde hair and blue eyes. She often has to show pictures of her Father on her phone to prove her claim and is still told she’s not black despite her skin color. Since the comments here suggest otherwise I’m curious to know why this seems at variance with them?

I can relate to Vinny and completely understand where he’s coming from. History is full of injustices that we should never forget. Fro example, I think about all the white slaves that died building the pyramids at the hands of the Egyptians, who were black, and my blood pressure goes up.

Let me tell you guys something, for your stupipness to thing that online african with caucasian can be white…
Iam black, and i have some familie line in my family who often makes pure white children with kinky nappy hair,and hazel eyes….
But we don,t have any white or what else blood in our vain, we are Afro Maroon Suriamese who lives isolated in the Surinamese interirior afther we freed ourself from slavery…
So stupid people do,nt think that only Caucasian can have white children, African people ca make any race in this world… But white makes only white, Note this!!!!!!!

“History is full of injustices that we should never forget. Fro example, I think about all the white slaves that died building the pyramids at the hands of the Egyptians, who were black, and my blood pressure goes up.” Oh we got a live one here!! By all means, feel free to travel to Egypt and air your biblically historic grievances …since I still live in the land of MY oppressor, who still reaps the fruits of my ancestral pain even as he represses me to this day? I invite you to have several seats!

As a multiracial man, I can say that I wanted to know because of something some people don’t realize -multiracial people are kind of the new race. With all the crazy issues we have in this country, multiracial people face a different life as living proof that races can intermix and live and love together. Thus, we’re like these visual ambassadors for sameness and it’s kind of cool to meet someone who had lived a similar experience. However, no matter how he looks, if Steph Curry doesn’t identify as multiracial, that’s cool too. Curiousity is natural and welcome.

The hair, eyebrows, shape of the head are perfectly sure in african side, but the shape of the nose and the color of the eye and skin are surely mixed with other race, so the question is what race he is, i am confused because he is perfectly mixed it is to give a verdict what race he is, i think everyone deserves to know what race you are, for your identity and for your sake

Why is it a sin to be curious? There’s no judgment implied. I am interested in genealogy and the broader backgrounds people have. The Currys don’t seem to care if someone asks. They laugh about it. Why get defensive? I just recently took a DNA test to see what my background is, and I found out I have a tiny bit of Micronesian or similar in me, even though I appear pure European. It’s more fun to know than to be ignorant.

Why do so many people get offended when it comes to race? If a person of an color asks of another’s nationality, they could just be generally curious. I don’t understand the crap about “claiming” a person for a certain race – they’re not yours to “claim” anyway…just a normal person who doesn’t deserve to be put in a stupid race box. I understand if a black person learns that some accomplished famous guy is African American and get a little excited that it might go down in the black history side of the books later on, but really I don’t see why it’s so amazingly great.

I just looked this up because I’m relatively curious. I’m not trying to claim somebody or say that they’re only great because they’re X race, I just want to know what he’s made of, and that perfectly fine and people shouldn’t be beaten down for it??? Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it also lead to amazing discoveries and inventions. And as far as I know, we’re intelligent beings that don’t typically die from being curious…not cats.

History, heritage, culture, and ethnicity are interesting and we are especially curious of those in the public eye who are difficult to identify. Does it matter what Curry, or anyone, looks like during a basketball game? Not really. Is it cool to learn about him? Sure! Cheers everyone.

His mom is Creole, which probably means she has a mix of French/Spanish, Black and Native American ancestry. Beyonce’s mom is also a Louisiana Creole and she has a similar phenotype to Steph and his mom.

His dad is fairly light skinned so he probably has a good amount of European ancestry as well. It is possible that Steph has more nonblack ancestry than he does black but it really just comes down to what you identify as, and I think Steph identifies as mixed but predominantly black.

His mom is Creole, which probably means she has a mix of French/Spanish, Black and Native American ancestry. Beyonce’s mom is also a Louisiana Creole and she has a similar phenotype to Steph and his mom.

His dad is African American but he’s fairly light skinned so he likely has a good amount of European ancestry as well (probably english). It is possible that Steph has more nonblack ancestry than he does black, but it really just comes down to what you identify as, and I think Steph identifies as mixed but predominantly black.

Anonymous
2016/01/28
10:18 pm
“Well I for one am interested and thus why I came to this article. I’m Asian and I often have people asking me if I’m Japanese, Chinese or Vietnamese, and I’m not any of them. DO I get offended?! NO! Is it a legit question, sure! I ask whites what ethnic background they are – Irish, Swedish, French, etc., and they don’t get offended or bent out of shape at the question at all – in fact, they are happy and even eager to tell me! So, not sure why this is so offensive to some people. It looks like The Curry’s do have Caucasian blood in their heritage – whether it’s French and Irish, it’s just interesting for some. No one, I believe, is trying to be vindictive or mean by having this curiosity of a black man who has light skin and eyes. Genetics tells us that he does have Caucasian heritage in him or he wouldn’t have the light skin and eyes.”
It’s nice that you are interested. Here’s my take. I am Black British. Both my parents are “originally” from the Caribbean and we are all quite light skinned, but I can not tell you much more than that because our history was stolen from us be the slave traders, so when you lovely curious people ask our origins, you should go and ask those slave traders and their descendants, who may have kept some record of where they got us from, who they sold us to, who they got to rape our women and where they sold our children to. Then if you get some answers do come back and tell us please!?

“By all means, feel free to travel to Egypt and air your biblically historic grievances …since I still live in the land of MY oppressor, who still reaps the fruits of my ancestral pain even as he represses me to this day? I invite you to have several seats!”

Looks like I hit a nerve. There’s ancestral pain in every family history if one decides to look for it. Furthermore Vinny, since I live in a country that does not oppress anyone, we are both free to voice our grievances here – as I see you are doing exactly that as well – so why go anywhere else? Next, our President is black and the most powerful man in the world. This proves anyone can be anything in this country regardless of race. However, if you still believe he is he oppressing you, and if so, what are you doing to change his oppression towards you?

I’m “white” (whatever that means). In today’s society most of us are from mixed decent so I’d venture to say we all have different races represented in our DNA. Whether it appears that way or not doesn’t mean it isn’t so. History records that I am both German and French, yet, I have a red beard. Red comes from only a few places, and since both the Celts and Vikings murdered and raped their way through Europe it’s pretty clear where that came from. Looks like we have something in common you and I.

I am a black person whose skin and hair are light principally because my grandmother was a product of rape of her married black mother by the white brother of man for whom her mother’s husband was a sharecropper. Regardless of complexion we lived as black people in a legally segregated black area in the South and later a defacto segregated black community in the North. The color of our skin was irrelevant to the conditions and indignities to which we were subjected and relegated as blacks. While hundreds of years of mis-education by white society has bred black self-hatred that often results in preferred treatment of light skin blacks by other blacks, that in no way made us “mixed race” in the sense that we had any experience other than being black. The Curry’s know best what their own experience was and if it was living as blacks in America then then that’s what they are. Moreover, if Stephen Curry were not a wealthy sports star and he went to a typical American bank for a loan he would be treated like a black person – PERIOD! Perhaps better than a dark skinned black person – but as a black person nonetheless.

B.S. he’s not just a “light-skinned African-American” Everyone is a mix of something. He’s lighter than Obama and has green eyes. If they look up their heritage, I’m positive they would find European blood. Since his family looks more black they just prefer to day black. I believe this allows Curry to be better accepted by his African-American friends and family. I suspect it was hard for him to fit in when you’re not exactly black or white but like Obama he chooses to associate with blacks.

2. Stephen Curry is clearly of mixed race, only a blind man would miss that.

3. President Obama is not black, he is half black.

4. I am 100% pure Armenian. Almost half the worldwide Armenian population was exterminated by the Turks during and after World War I. In addition, Armenians have been discriminated against wherever we have immigrated, in the United States the laws would not allow Armenians to own land but you don’t see me getting all sensitive when it comes to racial discussions.

Plain and some, in a nutshell, Curry is black or African American. That is how he and his family identify. It is folks like you who do not want to accept it. He is no different from the majority of African Americans who range in color from the lightest skin to the darkest skin who have something other than African running in their blood line. The majority of black people in America have mixed blood and mixed racially, but identify as black. I don’t want to go into a history lesson about American racial politics. Youbhavebquoyebafter quote where the Currys saymtheyy are black. Ends this madness on his race and accept it, he is black.

Depends on where you are. In America, Curry is black. In other parts of it the world, he’s not. Racial definitions change for people of mixed race background according to different customs and cultures. In places like Greece, the Middle East, Italy, etc. no one would think he wasn’t one of them. Many of these people have some African dna but are considered white, The American-made 1 drop rule doesn’t apply there.

There is too much racism in America!!! Stop labeling people. Yes he has some white blood in his family tree . That is why he looks like that. There is nothing such as a light skinned African . If they are light it is because they have a light skinned race in their blood. Americans need to stop calling mixed race people black. Black people in America always like to talk about being black and proud but yet the women always wearing weaved in European hair and embarrassed to wear their natural hair. You guys are messed up!!!!

You are the one with the problem. Who are you to regulate what people are called. If a light skinned black person wants to identify as African that is their right and privilege. You are not the race designator. This country is sick and so racist they can’t see themselves. Thisbis my last word on the topic because i don’t deal with ignorant people.

After reading this article it seems as if the Caucasian race is begging for the smallest light of white in him so one can feel connected in such a way instead of respecting and appreciating his game. As a so called Latino I can see the effects of white supremacy here.

Whoever is saying that he isnt black needs to get a life. Thats like saying oh that person over there isnt white because he has 10 percent black in him. It is ovious that he is black. People are saying ut is obvious that he is more white than black. What. What is so bad about being black because everytime some one calls themselves black people say oh they arent black they are mixed or black people just want him to be black which isnt true. Thats like saying beyonce isnt black or rhianna or anyone else. People are acting like being black is the worst thing ever when its not. We know he is black because his dad and mom is.Thats like saying that im not black cause im part puerto rican and i have 30 percent white in me. No cause i still am black. Tia and tamera know they black you dont here them going around saying im white or no im not black. Just like people say that obama was the 1st black presedent and he is half white but he is black still so why is it so different for other. What about the new person is going to be the first plack princess or queen in England isnt black cause her dad is white. The moral of the story is he is black .

Steph Curry’s dad Dell is black and his mom is Hatian and black. Dell Curry’s parents are black, his parent’s parents are black. Wtf even with the truth right in front of you, you caucasians still try to claim his as your race or say this retarded shit, “hes more white than black”.. Yall are a delusional ass race of people. Yall take the word black literally, when we say black we mean NEGROID, when we say white we mean CAUCASIAN. Yall see he is light skinned and say he is white. SMH you damn honkies know nothing about ethnicity, yall want so desperately for him to be white that yall are telling downright lies just to claim him. STOP THE LIES YOU DAMN IDIOTS.

Its crazy how white people try to claim Steph Curry is white, even though his mom is Haitian and Black and his dad is black.. They are delusional, they lie to themselves so much that they start believing it.﻿ They have a picture up of his dad (who is black) and his mom. Even with the truth in front of you caucasians yall deny it, yall refuse to tell the truth or yall just make up lies. DELUSIONAL, and obsessed with OUR race.

I am tardy in this discussion but, thanks so much for the article. I was however saddened by the pain that is evident in most of the posts written by persons whom classify themselves as African American. It was clear to me that Stephen Curry’s mother is mixed race…irregardless of the fact that her mom is from Haiti…a racially diverse island in the Caribbean, often portrayed as just a black nation…Please disassociate yourselves from the notion that persons are mixed race because of rape…When you see a “light skinned’’ person with curly hair it is genetical proof of a close non black ancestor…not during the time of slavery! This is by no means to say that rape isn’t the historical reality of African slavery. It is however to say that being “light skinned” and for instance having eye color that is not dark brown tells a story, especially when it is combined in the person, and added to this combination; hair that is looser in curls, and in this case blonde…(talking about mamma curry). Oh and dear white people, don’t listen to that one guy, not all blacks get offended when asked about their ancestral genetic heritage. Race may be an illusion…however I like the conversation because it shows interest in linage and tribes and ethnic ties of peoples. I being able immigrant is often asked the question “ what are you? By African Americans…I find it perplexing to say the least, that when I explain, then I end up feeling a coldness from the individual (usually black older women), when I explain that I do NOT identify as black…I have since re-examined this presentation of my person and find that there was error in saying so, but the sting always seems personal to black women old enough to be my mother (I’m a 90s kid). I could never understand why. What I find even more intriguing is that when Caucasians ask me the question it isn’t “what are you?” It is “ you look so exotic, where are you from? I studied in Europe for grad school and everyone assumed I was Asian, even the Asians ( that is Indian), that was fun, because until recently, I identified as Asian Indian lol but it is not the whole story. So now, I am one race:HUMAN!, with a mostly Asian Indian (punjabi) , and West African, black background, with European, Chinese and Jewish ethnic ties scattered in my blood. Who is a Jamaican by birth, who speaks “Jamaican” official yaddie (patios) and all. I was taught by my black mother to embrace my Punjabi roots, and I grew up around a very large Indian family, but at the end of the day, the evidence of my African linage is evident in a face that although mostly Asian, hints that there is yet more to the story.